Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Monday, March 29, 2010

Idiot TartsNot good with crusts, not good. Let’s not discuss the pumpkin pie crust of last Thanksgiving, which left one chewing for hours. A good crust takes timing and delicacy and I have only a bit of each. The more you work with it, the tougher it is and I have problems with situations that don’t allow me to make any mistakes. So chewy…

So what can I make for my sister’s barbecue in fifteen minutes, that is crustless of course

To be completely honest, I burned the first batch of cookies. But the second were great! Just wait for the cookies to cool. Then frost the cooled cookies and top with fresh cut fruit. Anything would good as long as it is fresh. The (pictured) deli bought strawberries were superb-o. Good combos: blueberry & strawberry, strawberry & kiwi, banana & coconut, pineapple & strawberry, cantaloupe & blackberry

Just think of all the frosting flavor/fruit combo possibilities…fresh whipped cream, maybe?

Saturday, March 20, 2010

The beautiful weather left me in search for something brighter tasting. My tongue needed summer bad. It was time to make changes to my cakes and booze. Maker's Mark & Diet, I am packing you away with my Hunter boots. Good-bye gingerbread, spice cake and any sort of hot cross buns, summer flavors are coming...

Lemon Ice Cake - my only butter-less cupcakeBetty Crocker Lemon Super Moist Cake1 Lemon¾ of a cup of water1/3 cup of oil *** I would use melted butter next timeJumbo MarshmallowsGraham Crackers Using my brand new measuring cups and heart shaped mixing bowl, I attacked the lemon cake mix with all of my cake doctor tools. In this case the tools are a lemon and several well-chosen devices to deal with the lemon. Shockingly, a lemon juiced with a fork and spoon only gives ¼ of a cup of juice. I took out the seeds and mashed any pulp. I don’t have a zester so I used my cheese plane to zest, then chop the lemon peel. I mixed it in with the eggs and oil, which I never use and wish I still hadn't used. It worked out. The lemon juice and pulp gave the lemon flavor an authenticity and zing. They are sweet, but still bright and very yellow. I put a jumbo marshmallow on top of the cooled cupcake and put it in the microwave. When the marshmallow looks like it will explode, open the microwave quickly and spread around the top with a clean spoon. I crushed graham crackers with my fingers in a dish and rolled the cupcake top around for crunch. Still need to decide that summer cocktail...

Thursday, March 18, 2010

This is the second posting in a Chocolate/Mint Trilogy. The third installment will be posted whenever I feel like it, like George Lucas. On my daily trek to BrigeFresh for a 'make your own salad,' I saw this gem. At first intrigued by the MINT, then smitten by the 45% Less Fat. Less fat NOT sugar free

Don't eat sugar free candy. Please.

It was FANTASTIC. Not rich dark chocolate covering a mint flavored, mysteriously fluffy 3 Musketeers filling. And there were two seperate bars, which I like. But I discovered that certainly the reason for the "45% less fat" was that it was 55% the size of a regular 3 Musketeers. But whatevs...

Monday, March 15, 2010

So Queenie came to stay last weekend. Such an occasion must of course warrent a cake! Well, a derivation of a Betty Crocker box mix actually, made for a queen. Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate Cake Mix- Butter RecipeButter - I melt as I have no mixerWater - whatever quantity it says on the boxMilk Chocolate Chips - chopped somewhat chunky

Lovely Pink Polka Dot cupcake cups picked for the occasion by Jenna

Betty Crocker Milk Chocolate FrostingMint Extract

Anna's Mint Chocolate Cookies - other suggestions: York Peppermint Patties, Thin Mints (which I wish I had when making these)

I mixed up a little bit over 2 tbsp of the extract for the whole tub of frosting. The flavor was that of a Mini York Peppermint Patty. A little less extract, a little more Thin-Mint. A little more extract, Starlight Mint.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

In honor of Jenna's volunteer trip also referred to as S'more Haiti but I wasn't sure if it was too soon. Look, some of live on the fourth floor in a city and don't have access to these "campfires." Some of us must have burnt marshmallows during the lion side of March. I recommend the Ritters Sport Milk Chocolate with Cornflakes from the deli.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

I actually can't stop making eggs in a basket I declared on my facebook status. My mom always talked about it but I never quite remember tasting one. The other day I decided to end the mystery. Since then it has been on, breakfast for dinner every day. The below is for my eggless, basketless sad friends. Please note I enjoy numbered bullet points.

Eggs in a Basket

2 Eggs2 Slices of bread- Personally whole wheat bread from Old Poland Foods down the street I found that it cooked easier with a heartier bread.Olive OilGarlicFresh RosemarySalt and Pepper

1. Cut out the center of the bread with a cookie cutter. I chose a heart because I LOVE Eggs in a Basket. Hold on to the cut out bread pieces.2. Prep the olive oil. Chop 1/2 a large clove of garlic. Chop up 2 or so sprigs of rosemary. Mix both in with the olive oil.3. Brush the olive oil on the bread pieces.4. Put the bread in a pan on medium heat.5. I crack open an egg in a saucer. From the saucer pour the egg into the hole in the bread. 6. Salt and pepper the egg.7. Fry like normal and flip only once or trice.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

HURRAY!! A couple of weeks ago we got on the F train for a last minute winter trek to Coney Island. Weeelllll, apparently in the winter it gets dark pretty early. Instead of figuratively dark and barren, it was acutally dark and barren and full of rottweilers barking gothically and guarding the Wonder Wheel. Freaky!!But hey, it was worth it. We went to a unfriendly, Russian furniture store and then Nathan's.It was great. Chili cheese dog, fries and a Corona are an excellent combo. Nathan's came complete with visiting suburban soccer teams by the minivan-full and a floor show provided by a crazy homeless man who was later arrested.Perfecto!